David Cory

“ Well, pretty soon Little Sir Cat turned to her and said with a fierce look, "Leave him with me. He shall be my comrade. You have no right to him," and then he took Tom Thumb into the tent, leaving the woman to do what she might. He didn't care, for he was in the right, and when that is the case, one can be brave even if he is a small cat. And as soon as he told the clown what had happened, he said: "We'll never let her have Tom Thumb. He shall stay with us as long as he likes," and then the lovely circus lady came up and shook hands with him, and everybody said, "Hurrah for Little Sir Cat!" ”

“ Come in, Kitten!" So he stepped into the neat, clean kitchen, and as soon as the good woman had put on a clean apron, they sat down to supper. By-and-by the cuckoo came out of her little clock and said: "Time for kittens to be in bed," and the twinkle, twinkle star shone through the window, and sang a little lullaby:
"Sleep, little pussy cat, sleep.
The little white clouds are like sheep
That play all the night while the moon's shining bright.
Sleep, little pussy cat, sleep." ”

“ He wondered where his little friend the rabbit had disappeared to, and the four little chickens.
Then he looked down at the counterpane, and what do you suppose he saw. A whole nest full of beautiful, painted Easter eggs with the funniest faces and the brightest colors. Bennie gave a squeal of delight and hopped out of bed to dress so that he could show his treasure to all the other children he knew, but in his excitement forgot all about the dear little bunny. ”

“ Did you or the fairies bring me these lovely new skates?"
Mother smiled. "Who do you think?" she asked, cuddling her little daughter up close.
"I guess it was you, dear mother," answered the little girl, with a grateful hug; "you're better than any fairy."
After breakfast Dorothy hurried off to the park. She strapped her skates on as fast as she could and was just about to glide away on the smooth pavement when she noticed a poor little girl standing near, watching her with almost a hungry expression in her sad brown eyes. "Do you like to skate?" asked Dorothy. ”

“ Saturday is a holiday all the time. In the morning I take a run in the park to get the fresh air and exercise; and then after lunch, Mother and I—oh, it's such fun!—go to a matinee or a motion picture play. When we come out, we have a cup of hot chocolate somewhere, with little cakes or crackers, and it's just lovely! After that, it's time to go home. Dolly is waiting for me, and I tell her all about everything while I undress her and put her to bed, and she is so good she never cries or says: "Why didn't you take me, too?" ”

“ LITTLE SIR CAT TAKES A FAREWELL LOOK AT THE CASTLE
This made the King dreadfully angry, and he "beat the Knave full sore," as the rhyme goes in dear "Old Mother Goose," and if you don't believe me, just get the book and see for yourself. "Now ask me a favor, and it shall be granted," said the Queen who had asked Little Sir Cat to come into the castle and sit on the throne by her side.
"Tell me where I may find my fortune," answered Little Sir Cat.
"Ah!" cried the Queen, "that is not so easy. For each of us must make his own fortune. But I will help you," and she called for her old seneschal. ”

“ I wish a fairy would come through our garden."
"Perhaps one will," said the Peony. "At any rate the Rose has always been the queen of flowers, and now that we have a new rose perhaps the Queen of the Fairies may visit our garden." ”

“ Toby barked, as he always did when he saw a dog. In a minute his little mistress ran up to the window. "Oh, Toby!" she cried. "Look at the poor little dog. I'll ask mother if I can't bring him in." In a minute she was in the bright sitting-room, where mother was sewing.
"What is it, little girl?"
"Oh, mother!" she cried. "There is a poor dog with a tin can tied to his tail, just outside the house, and a lot of boys are tormenting the poor animal. They are all around him so that he can't get away." ”

“ Whitcomb, after the noise and excitement had subsided, "how in the world I ever forgot that I put that money away for safe keeping in that little box years ago is beyond me. But I did, and it isn't a dream!"
"No, indeed, mother!" cried Madge, pinching the gold piece, "it's as real as can be!"
"Let's all go down to the village and get the dinner things," suggested Billy.
By the time the celery and vegetables, the nuts and raisins, together with the big, fat turkey, were safely packed, the basket was fairly bulging over.
"Oh, what a feast we'll have tomorrow," gasped Madge. ”

“ Everybody loves Robin Redbreast. Who of us in early spring is not gladdened by the sight of this red waistcoated little chap hopping about on the lawn? But few of us stop to think that our robin is totally unlike the English robin, the dear old Robin Redbreast of nursery days; he who covered with leaves the Babes in the Wood and was shot by the Sparrow with his little arrow!
The Redbreast of Europe is only half the size of our robin, being about five inches and three-quarters from the tip of its bill to the end of its tail feathers. ”

“ Pretty soon Piggie stopped to rest, and Little Sir Cat jumped down to the ground. "How did you ever get caught?" he asked.
"I disobeyed mother," answered Piggie when able to speak, for he was all out of breath with running, you see. "I squeezed through the fence and ran out to the road, and then that bad boy caught me. Oh, dear, oh, dear!"
Poor little Piggie's pink nose was very red and his cheeks wet with tears. "Don't cry," said Little Sir Cat kindly, "you can't be far from home." And then together they ran across the meadow to the wood to look for the path that led to Piggie's cabin. ”

“ Then Little Red Riding Hood took hold of his paw, and led him into a sunny room, where in a big easy-chair by the window her Grandmother sat knitting.
"Come here, Sir Kitten, and let me see your nice red top boots," said her Grandmother. "I always did like cats." And just then the little canary bird began to sing:
"Look out for the Big Gray Wolf, my dears.
He has long sharp teeth and pointed ears,
And he roams through the forest dark and dim.
Be careful you don't get caught by him!"
So Little Red Riding Hood kissed her Grandma good-by and with Little Sir Cat started for home. ”

“ Some of the alphabet letters had formed themselves into a queer little pig, who cried, "This little pig went to market," but when Jamie ran up to play with him all the letters jumped apart and scampered away. "Come, we'll show you the man who owns the circus!" After much scrambling and climbing on their part, the circus owner appeared, wearing a high silk hat.
Jamie had hardly time to bow politely, when all the letters tumbled apart and there stood a great, big elephant. But, goodness me! In another minute the elephant fell apart and again the Letters shouted, "Follow us, Jamie!" ”

“ Puss led him under fences, through bushes, over gates, up trees, and, at last, through the open window, Charlie of course followed, and what a fall was that!
When Charlie rose, the black cat sat calmly upon the table. Charlie thought she actually laughed at his forlorn appearance. Well, he didn't look as well as when the race began, but his courage was still good; so he resolved to try again, if the Big Rogue would help. ”

“ But of course Marjorie didn't understand him.
"I saved the lily for you," whispered the mischievous breeze, as she started for home. And I think she understood him, for she laughed as she pushed back her curls, as much as to say, "You needn't muss my hair all up telling me so, Mr. Breeze!"
"Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?"
"Oh, now that I have a car," she said,
"It grows twice as fast, you know." ”

“ Well, as Little Sir Cat went on his way to find his fortune in Mother Goose Land, he came in sight of a queer-looking little house, and when he drew nearer he found it wasn't a house at all, but a big shoe, with a little chimney on top and a tiny door in the toe and two small windows above the heel.
"I'd ask you to make us a visit," said the Old Woman, "but, dearie me! I haven't even a spare closet, and rents are so high I've not been able to hire another old shoe." ”

“ In an hour or so there was enough snow on the ground for the children to commence. "May," said Jack, as he finished rolling the ball which was to be Mr. Snowman's head, "I'm going to build this snowman close to the walk so he will look just like a man standing by the tree, and perhaps we can think up something to make Uncle Jimmy imagine he is being attacked by a highwayman."
"You goose," said his sister, laughing; "how will you manage that?"
"You just wait," said Jack, "I'll work out some sort of a plan."
The snowman grew bigger every minute. ”

“ Following after came the youths and maidens with wreaths of flowers, which they twined around cottage doorways on their way to the green, where they were to choose from among their number a Lord and Lady of May.
After a bower was built for them and the May-pole set up, there were merry dances, the revellers donning mask and costume to represent Robin Hood, Friar Tuck, Maid Marian, Much the Miller's Son, Little John, Will Scarlet and all the other famous characters of merry Sherwood. Pantomime was also indulged in, for this was a simple age, when simple pleasures satisfied the country people. ”

“ Tessie and Teddy skated along smoothly on their errand for mother. The roller skates behaved very well, and did not try to race with each other, so that neither little messenger had a fall, or even a bump against anybody on the sidewalk who did not get out of the way in time.
The fat grocer man said good morning very pleasantly, and gave them each a little animal cracker. Tessie told him what she wanted, and while he was counting out the eggs and putting them in the bag, she stroked his big tiger cat, who lay half asleep on the top of the sugar barrel. ”

“ LITTLE SIR CAT SEES CINDERELLA
Little Sir Cat was about to turn away disappointed and hungry, when the Fairy Godmother opened the window and looked out: "Why, kitten, what are you doing here?" she exclaimed.
"Looking for a place to sleep."
"Come right in," she answered, in a kind voice, and, leaning out, helped tired little Puss over the windowsill.
"Take off your boots and make yourself comfortable, while I get you a nice supper of cake and cream." ”

“ When he reached a tent near a big tree, he fluttered down to the ground, and gave a low hoot. The little Indian boy pushed his head out: "What is it, Too-Wit?" he asked.
"There's a flock of wild turkeys roosting in the clump of trees by the lake. Bring your bow and arrows before it gets too dark. I'll wait at the edge of the wood for you. T'wit and T'woo are keeping a look-out while I'm here."
Little Indian hastily picked up his bow and arrows, and started off for the lake. As he drew near the clump of trees, he crept stealthily along, so as not to frighten the wild turkeys. ”

“ Aunt Dorothy sat down near them and watched Mary for a few minutes in silence. "Now that you feel better, my child, tell me where you live?"
"I don't live nowhere," answered the child, "'cept with Dick—he's got a big box with straw in it. I crawled in one night after they took father away—the police, you know."
Aunt Dorothy sighed, "Give her a warm bath, Mary, and make a bed on the lounge in my room. I will try to find something which will do for a nightdress." ”

“ Too-wit had a nice supper all ready for them.
The next afternoon Little Indian and Too-Wit went to see two funny little Frogs who lived in the lake.
"Look," said Little Indian to Too-Wit. "Aren't they cunning?"
"Yes," answered the Owl; "that's Freddie and Fannie Frog. Wait a minute and I'll fly over and tell them how kind you are, for the Forest Folk are quick to trust a friend."
So Too-Wit flew over to where Freddie and Fannie Frog were contentedly sitting on their lily-pad under the long grass on the edge of the lake. ”

“ To control these savages, soldiers were needed on the plains, to prevent war parties from dashing into little frontier villages, stealing horses and cattle, burning barns and houses and murdering the people who were trying to cultivate the prairies, to turn the great plains of dry, burnt grass into fields of wheat and beautiful green meadows. ”

“ But Sir Launcelot didn't wait, for he wasn't going back, you see, so he and Little Sir Cat called out good-by and went upon their way. And the sun shone down and glittered on the bright armor of the noble knight and pussy cat felt very proud to be riding with him.
"You shall go with me to King Arthur's Court," said Sir Launcelot, "for little friend Tom Thumb is with my good king and he has told all the knights what a good comrade you are." ”